Inking apparatus



C.' B. THWING.

INKlNG APPARATUS.

APPucATloN FILED Nov. 30, 1918.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

UNITED STATgES oHAnLEs E. THWING, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR To THWING INSTRUMENT COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

A CORPORATION 0F INKING APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 30,' 1920.

Application led November 30, 1918. Serial No. 264,874.

, To all whom t may concern.'

a supply of inking fluid to one .or any number of pens or equivalentdevices assembled and actuated within a relatively confined space.

The invention further contemplates a form of ink supplying device whichshall be accessible, easily cleaned and filled, and of such a nature asnot to require attention for long periods of time.

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which, y y

Figure l is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of a recordinginstrument illustrating my invention as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, furtherillustrating the instru-y ment shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is anfenlarged vertical section of the ink pad and its holder;and

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

In the above drawings l representsfpart of a Supporting frame workproviding bearings for a rotatable drum 2 over which is hung a recordsheet 3. Also carried by this frame is a transverse bar 4 supporting anydesired number of motors such as electromagnets 5, whereby motion may beintermittently imparted to horizontally extending bars or strips 6 eachhaving one end pivoted to the frame 1 at 7, and in the present instance,each carrying an armature 8 for its magnet.

The opposite end of each of the bars 6 is forked for the reception ofthe neck of a block 9 constituting a head. The upper end of each headhas an extension 10 slidably guided throufrh an opening in a cross bar11 of the frame and is preferably maintained in its uppermost positionby or tends to move to such position under theaction of, a Spring 12operative between the upper end of a bar 14 forming part of the frame land the armature 8. Each ofthe blocks 9 also carries a downwardlyextending needle or stylus 15 of such length that itslower end willstrike the record sheet 3 on the roll 2 when the bar 6 is drawndownwardly by energization of its magnet 5.

For applying ink to such a stylusor series of the same, I provide areservoir in the shape of an elongated trough or holder which in itspreferred form consists of two flat members 17" and 18 at right anglesto each other, having end members y19 kand so supported 011 theframe 1that the bottom ,member 18 of the trough lies at an angle of fromytwenty to `thirty degrees to the horizontal. This reservoir is.provided with a series of holes k20 formedy through its bottom member18 adjacent its outer edge, in such positions as to receiveand permitthe passage of the needles15 and the mounting of the 'reservoir is suchthat when the blocks 9 with their needles are in their uppermostpositions, the lower end of.' each needle extends just within itsparticular hole or pas sage 20.v

Extending longitudinally within the trough 16 is a pad 21 of felt orother absorbent material preferably mounted in a frame 22 consisting ofa-flat strip having its longitudinal edges turned up and over and somade that one of said edges has a series of notches 23 to permit ofthefree passage of the needles 15. The width of the pad 21 and of itsframe 22 is such that when they rest upon the bottom member 18 of thereservoir, with one longitudinal edge of the frame in engagement withthe member 17, the notches of the opposite edge are practicallyconcentric with the several holes 20, and the outer edge of the pad isimmediately adjacent the needles.

When the pad is lled or saturated with a suitable liquid ink, there isformed in each of the openings 20 a drop or film which is at j Cir E)and its associated needle l5 until the lower end of the latter strikesthe record sheet with the result that this is thereupon marked by theliquid inl; on said needle. Upon the denergization o'f the magnet n, thespring l2 restores the bar (i to its upper position, and returns thelower end ot the needle into the ink iilm Within its hole 9.0 so that itis instantly' ready to make another record mark. It is thereforeimmaterial Whether the needle is operated with great frequency or onlyat long intervals, since after each downward movement, its point isreturned to the ink lilm and is at all times prepared to marre a markupon the record sheet. It will be neted that the cross bar l1 serves asa guiding means ter the various block extensions l0 and also limits theupward movement of said blocks.

In order to replenish the inl'supply it is merely necessary to pourliquid inl: onto the absorbent pad at any part thereof; ivhereupon itspreads by capillary action and automatically maintains the tilms in thevarious holes 20. It is to be understood that it desired the pad 21 maybe omitted and the ink placed directly in the trough 18, since as withthe pad the various passages 2U are supplied as before.

lVithout departing` from my invention l may place transverse partitions18u in the trough 18 so as to malte it possible to supply inks ofditl'erent colors to any or all. ot the styli. i

I claim:

l. The combination ot a rrecigirocable stylus; mechanism tor causinglongitudinal movement of the stylus; a member ha\,'inf` an opening inthe path of movement of the stylus; means for supporting a record sheetin position to be engaged by the stylus ivhen it is actuated; and anabsorbent element mounted adjacent said opening and to one side of thepath of movement ol the, stylus in position to maintain a film of inl:by capillary action in said opening.

Q. rfhe combination el? a supporting strncture; an oscillatory armmounted thereon; means for limiting the movement of the arm to a singleplane; a stylus carried by the arm; means Jfor intermittently actuatingthe arm to depress the stylus; a device tor supporting a record sheet inposition to be engaged by the stylus when it is depressed; a memberhaving an opening in the path ot' movement ot the stylus: and a liquidholding device for maintaining a Capillary lilm ot'liquid in saidopening.

3. The combination ot a support-ing structure; a bar mounted tooscillate thereon: a stylus carried by the bar and projecting'substantially at right angles thereto; means tor intermittentlyoscillating the bar; a plate having an opening and mounted in positiontor the end of the stylus to lie within said opening when the bar is atone extreme ot its path of movement; a liquid holding structure mountedadjacent the opening in position to maintain a [ilm otl ink therein bycapillary action; and a device tor supporting a record sheet in.position to be eng r by the stylus when the bar is at its other extremeof movement.

l. The combination of a supporting structure; a series of bars n'iountedthereon inpositions to oscillate in parallel planes: a stylus carried byeach bar; means tor snpporting a record sheet in position to be cnfgaged by the styli of said bars; imlepei'nlent devices for actuating thebars; a trough having a series ol" independent openings re spectively inthe lines ot movement ot the styli; and an ink absorbent structuremounted in position to maintain capillary .films ot inl; in saidopenings.

5. The combination of a supporting struc ture; a series of barsI mountedthereon in positions to oscillate in parallel planes: a stylus carriedby each bar; means for sup-- porting a record sheet in position to beengaged by the styli of said bars; and an ink troi L; i having a seriesloi independent openings respectively in the lines of movemei'it of thestyli.

(3. The combination olf a pluraliy olf styli; independent devices l'orreciproealing said styli in parallel lines: means l'or supporting a.record sheet in a position lo be engaged by said styli; a trough havingopenings tor the styli respectively and e.\: tending substantially atright angles to ahi: latter; with an ink pad extending in the troughadjacent said openings in position to maintain capillary films oli inktherein.

ln Witness Whereot .l i. 2x my signature.

CHARLE S ll. THW/ING.

en A L

